[Inmarsat announces pre-paid satellite services for both voice and data and introduces support for voice calls in the U.S. for the first time.]

London -- Inmarsat (ISAT.L), the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, today announced that it now offers global pre-paid satellite services for both voice and data via the Inmarsat pre-pay platform with the introduction of support for voice calls originating in the US and its territories.

Through an agreement with Freedom Wireless Holdings Inc., Inmarsat is now the first mobile satellite provider in the world licensed to offer pre-paid voice services from the US. Pre-pay voice will be available from 1st September 2012 for all existing Inmarsat land and maritime services including IsatPhone Pro™, BGAN™, FleetBroadband™ and FleetPhone™.

Pre-paid services are popular with people who work on short term or seasonal projects and prefer not to commit to a contract. “Many customers use satellite services across multiple markets and have been frustrated by being unable to use pre-paid services while in the US and its territorial waters. We are proud to be the first company to deliver a global service. This announcement exemplifies our commitment to meeting our customers’ needs,” said Jim Parm, President of Inmarsat Solutions.

“With this breakthrough announcement we are simplifying communications for our users. IsatPhone Pro users can now be contacted using a single phone number wherever they are located and use just one device for their global communications, while FleetBroadband customers can now travel in and out of US territorial waters on pre-paid plans” added Parm.